"When My Mom Loses Her Weight, I'll Have a Step-Dad"

Well, Ladies - I was at the gym working hard with my trainer, and kicking BUTT!!  I was so into it and ready to move on to the next set of exercises that I didn't realize I'd had so much fun my time was up!  I was all... huh? Already?  No way!!  Yesterday was a GOOD DAY.  After I worked with him I did 15 minutes of cardio.  I do as much cardio as I can because my knees usually give me trouble after too long.  I can only do the treadmill because of the arthritis in my knees, but I'm walking faster and longer than I was before.

Once I was done with the treadmill, I headed to the scale.  This is the only scale I use.  I have one at home but I do not use it.  Because I write down everything I eat, I know what I'm doing right and wrong as I'm doing it.  Those choices will reflect on the scale whether I weigh every day at home or not.  I choose to weigh only at the gym - in roughly the same clothes, so my clothing weight is always very close to the same.

ANYWAY.... from when I started, I'm now down THIRTY TWO POUNDS.  This is about 5 or 6 weeks into it.  Before we know it, I'll be back where I was before my knee surgery AND I'll be able to continue to lose.

Want to know what a meal looks like for me?  Just take a look at some of the pictures I've taken of meals I've had.  I know that this is helping me.  I have protein shakes/meal replacements twice a day.  This gets me my vitamins and essential nutrients plus 35g of protein.  To eat/drink 2g protein for every pound of lean muscle mass is as hard as drinking a gallon of water a day!  Sometimes I don't make either one - but I know that if I keep plugging away, doing my absolute best, I'll make it.  In total, I have 5-6 meals per day and drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.  I trick myself to drinking my water, because instead of 5-6 oz of water for my protein shake, I use 16.  I've killed two glasses off of my requirements right there, just with one shake.  Because of all the water I drink, I don't get hungry.  And when I do, it's never ravenous.  Because I'm eating every 2 hours or so, my body doesn't have a chance to tell itself that it's starving to death and won't I eat something, anything, to feel better!  Protein stays in your system longer than carbohydrates.  If you chain your foods, such as eating a protein with a carb, your body will process it better and your metabolism will thank you for it.

One thing that really brings it all home is that my oldest son came back from his first day at school with an "About Me" book he was working on for class.  I'll never forget something he said about his family - "When my mom loses her weight, I'll have a step-dad."  Now I don't think he's considering taking my lost fat and making me a husband - but I think he knows that I'll be happier with myself, have higher self esteem that people might want to be around me more, and I might even start dating again.  This little stick-figure picture and paragraph underneath it made me proud of him, of what I've done, and was a good boost of confidence.

How are you doing with your program?  Feel free to ask me any questions, I'd be happy to help or offer encouragement - I'm great for that - but everyone has to be ready to make the necessary changes.  Whether it be to improve your self-esteem, improve your health, or just fit into better looking clothes (that don't look they were purchased at a TENT SALE) I am here for you to help you achieve your goals.

Maybe someday I'll become a motivational speaker or a personal trainer.  I guess we'll have to play that one out as it happens.

Hugs to everyone, please let me know how you are doing!!

--Jamie